Newberries Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this warm, friendly and inclusive school.

They value the positive relationships they have with staff and with each other. Pupils talk enthusiastically about how staff help them model values such as tolerance, honesty and respect.

Pupils receive the help they need to be ready for learning.

They know that leaders have high expectations and that staff care about them as individuals. Pupils who find school more difficult are supported sensitively. Pupils work hard, meet expectations set for them and enjoy their learning.

This helps them to achieve well.

Most pupils behave sensibly in lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. ...They use 'zones of regulation' to manage their behaviour successfully.

Bullying does not happen often. If it does, staff help pupils to deal with it. Pupils feel safe in school.

Pupils are pleased that visits and clubs are taking place again after the COVID restrictions. They enjoy supporting each other by taking on roles of responsibility. For example, anti-bullying ambassadors are proud to 'be a friend if people are lonely'.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum which clearly sets out the knowledge they want pupils to learn. Leaders know that a few aspects of the curriculum are at an earlier stage of development and do not yet have the impact they intend. For example, in some subjects, assessment is less well developed.

Teachers mostly deliver the curriculum well. Where this is the case, teachers carefully check pupils' understanding. They use this to plan purposeful learning activities which build on pupils' prior learning.

As a result, pupils show positive attitudes to learning which help them achieve well. However, while leaders ensure that teachers, particularly those new to the school, are well trained, in a few subjects, some staff are still developing their subject knowledge. This means that, on occasion, pupils do not build up what they know as well as they could.

Leaders have strengthened the approach to teaching phonics. All adults receive the training they need to deliver the programme consistently. Children in Reception make a positive start.

They quickly learn to blend sounds into words. Adults provide precise support for pupils who need to catch up. Leaders ensure the school's reading books match the sounds pupils know.

Older pupils receive strong support to develop their fluency and confidence to read more complex texts.

Early years provision is well led. Transition into and out of Reception is carefully considered.

The early years curriculum is closely aligned to the rest of the school. Teaching is highly effective. Children enjoy a wide range of high-quality, purposeful activities.

As a result, they become curious and confident learners.

Leaders provide effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teaching assistants offer skilful and personalised care.

The needs of pupils with SEND are well identified. This helps pupils with SEND access the same learning as their peers. Teachers adapt their teaching well so that pupils with SEND receive the support they need in lessons.

As a result, pupils with SEND learn well and enjoy school.

Leaders understand the needs of their pupils and expect them to behave well. They help pupils develop positive and respectful relationships with each other and with adults.

Pupils learn to understand the consequences of their actions and how to manage their own behaviour.

Leaders work effectively with individual families to remove barriers to better attendance. However, they recognise they could apply these strategies more systematically across the school.

A few pupils remain absent on too many occasions. This means they are not able to achieve as well as they could.

Pupils' personal development is well considered.

The personal, social and health education curriculum helps pupils to accept others and recognise that everyone is different. Pupils talk about the values they learn and how they model them, for example respect and perseverance.

Governors know the school well.

They focus on the right priorities and challenge leaders effectively to ensure the best outcomes for pupils. Staffing changes and limitations in capacity mean that some intended improvements have not happened as quickly as leaders wanted.

Leaders and governors have worked hard to engage with parents and carers.

Parents appreciate the school's happy and nurturing environment. The majority of parents who responded to the parent survey are positive about how the school has improved.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is an important priority for everyone. Adults are regularly trained in safeguarding. They are alert to the risks pupils may face and know how to report any concerns.

Leaders liaise promptly and effectively with external agencies to secure support for vulnerable pupils and families.

Pupils are taught how to stay safe. This includes when they are online.

Pupils know who to talk to if they have any worries. They are confident that staff will help and support them.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have designed a curriculum which clearly sets out the knowledge they want pupils to learn over time.

Some of these plans have been developed more recently. This means that, in a few subjects, aspects such as assessment are at a relatively early stage of implementation. Leaders need to monitor and evaluate the impact of the whole curriculum regularly to check how effectively their intentions are being delivered in practice.

• In a few subjects, staff who are new to the school are still developing their subject knowledge. Leaders should ensure that all staff continue to receive the training and support they need to teach all aspects of the curriculum effectively so that pupils can achieve well in all subjects. ? Leaders' processes to improve attendance have made some difference but not as much as they would want.

A few pupils are still absent on too many occasions. Leaders have put in place strategies to encourage good attendance. Leaders need to continue to apply these systematically across the school, to further reduce pupils' absence over time.

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